Reviews & Comments
Alameda, CA
Small-town feel in the middle of the Bay Area -
8/7/2008Alameda, CA is a unique town here in the Bay Area. Perhaps because it is an island, or perhaps because for many decades it was a U.S. Army base, the city has never attracted a community of young hipsters and hence lacks the dynamism of San Francisco, Oakland, or even Berkeley. But (for me, at least) that's a good thing. The city is a very family-friendly place in all of the good ways. Excellent parks, schools that range from good to excellent, and a tremendous feeling of community. In the East end where we live, you can't walk down the street without seeing people you know, which is pretty remarkable in a community of 70,000. At school drop-off in the morning, the playground is thronged with parents. The houses are lovely and many are quite old, public transportation is accessible and travel to SF and Oakland is easy. The one group for whom Alameda is probably not a great place to live are young, single people, as there are simply fewer people to meet, but if you're already hooked up, and especially if you have kids, Alameda is one of the best places to live in the East Bay.